I had always been interested in watching FS but the 1st program that hooked me was Michelle's 1994 East of Eden performance at Worlds. ((And IIRC, Kurt called her "kinda sexy"!!!))http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vwax0id60E

The 1st program that made me a hard core Michelle Fanatic was definitely Salome, starting at SA that season.

Aw, that is the sweetest!! I wish I had seen that program in 1994. It would have hooked me, too. You can already see the pure joy emanating from that girl ... but I wonder how many people could have predicted the transformation that would come two years later with Salome? How amazing is to think that Michelle Kwan ever got a 4.9 for artistic impression. I wonder if that Finish judge remember giving that to 13-year-old Michelle?

So did Michelle's top 10 placement that year help the U.S. get three spots back for the next year?

If I recall correctly, since Harding (no surprise) and Kerrigan skipped Worlds, only Bobek and Kwan went. Bobek crashed and burned, so the entire fate of the U.S. skating team rested on the shoulders of the thirteen-year-old Kwan. She had to place in the top ten, or America would have one sole place in the following year. She placed eighth. Consistent from the word go, in other words.

If I recall correctly, since Harding (no surprise) and Kerrigan skipped Worlds, only Bobek and Kwan went. Bobek crashed and burned, so the entire fate of the U.S. skating team rested on the shoulders of the thirteen-year-old Kwan. She had to place in the top ten, or America would have one sole place in the following year. She placed eighth. Consistent from the word go, in other words.